Why do you do what you do _______
What is the inside draw to create-
To write,
To paint,
To express?
What is the inside draw to REALLY WANT to do this creating thing?
The “WHAT” that is the internal draw to create in a certain way does not deal in one straight, linear action. If you are not careful, this dance can be a stilted, very directed, and have little depth, but as you allow God to lead, the steps will be a free flowing enjoyable expression. Don’t be afraid if the layers change. The adventure you reflect will show your story.
Pause and look into your story. Is that your WHY?
Although all of you reading this may not deal only in writing, I believe you will be able to identify with the challenges and blessings of these quotes. Since my story is based on writing, I can feel the joy and pain. Of course, before we go much farther, a good first step to take is to ask yourself the WHY of your actions. What is your story and how does that affect the way you create?
As you read my story, look into your own and see how God has drawn threads to take you into the heart of your creativity.
My writing story’s why began with responding “I WANT to write, of course!” However, each time I went to the writer’s group to write, my soul was torn in two. A deep fear rose. Not a fear of rejection, but rather a fear of having this expression taken away as other cherished joys had been before. As I continued to waken my heart to a love and lay bare my soul, I also needed to choose whether I would continue to create.
So, once this decision was made, smooth sailing, pen in hand, go for it! Right?
No such luck- because, sadly, the inside draw to create and write does not naturally just flow. It takes work.
― Natalie Goldberg, Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within
“Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts. You need to start somewhere.”
― Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life
How does one CONTINUE TO CREATE, with such negative reality. It is not always fun. What actually keeps you going? By looking in the mirror and asking:
WHAT IS THE INSIDE DRAW TO CREATE?
When I started, I HAD to write as a salve for my soul. Words to express the pain of rejection, questions of worth, begging “Someone please see me.”
.
“I can shake off everything as I write; my sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn.”
Anne Frank
How has my draw to create changed?
Now, I write as a result of my ongoing relationship with God. I write and photograph to participate in the creative connection. Stephen Rauch from Makers and Mystics has a series of podcasts dealing with Art as Healing, which is another draw for me. As we slow down to be present, God shares His Heart and Voice with us. We take the gifts given and can be bridgemakers if we are willing to listen to God’s Voice. Your creativity will affect not only your output in your creativity, but will come into contact with another person’s input.
We are all creators of one thing or another. Some of us have a professional calling but all have a gift reflecting the Voice of God. Are you willing to put in the time and effort to go past the difficulty when it is not fun? Will you sit and listen, write, put words down, and create even if you are the only one who is blessed or receives courage?
Do you have this drive inside you to create?
.“You are lucky to be one of those people who wishes to build sand castles with words, who is willing to create a place where your imagination can wander. We build this place with the sand of memories; these castles are our memories and inventiveness made tangible. So part of us believes that when the tide starts coming in, we won’t really have lost anything, because actually only a symbol of it was there in the sand. Another part of us thinks we’ll figure out a way to divert the ocean. This is what separates artists from ordinary people: the belief, deep in our hearts, that if we build our castles well enough, somehow the ocean won’t wash them away. I think this is a wonderful kind of person to be.”
Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life
Keep going even when it gets tough.
The inside draw to create may not feel overwhelming continually. Perhaps, you regret calling yourself a writer or an artist in the first place. 🙁 If simply looking at the keyboard, the blank page, and the upcoming deadline causes real thoughts of I AM DONE, you are not alone. I understand because I’ve been there. Please join my past posts and engage with my Facebook community, where you can receive encouragement. There IS a calling down in your soul wanting, needing to
CREATE!
CREATE..
I challenge and encourage you to continue on this journey. We need you to express what is inside.
